Water supply device

ABSTRACT

A water supply device contains an internal flow channel and a water chamber with an inlet, an outlet, a longitudinal height h, a horizontal width w, and a channel length L along a flowing direction. The longitudinal height h has a largest longitudinal height h 1  and a smallest longitudinal height h 2,  two opposite throat portions are formed in the water chamber and keep a distance X away from the inlet, the horizontal width w of the water chamber gradually decreases from a horizontal width w 1  of the inlet to the two opposite throat portions so as to form a smallest horizontal width w 3,  and a lateral width w 2  of the water chamber gradually increases from the two opposite throat portions to the outlet. Each horizontal fence has a passage defined on a central portion of the horizontal width w and at least two steps for defining the passage.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a water supply device which flows water like a waterfall.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional water supply device is a waterfall faucet or a shower head mounted in a kitchen or a bathroom to flow water like a waterfall.

A conventional waterfall faucet is disclosed in any one of CN 203500653 U, CN 201934715 U, CN 201651501 U, CN 201827481 U, and CN 201836495 U to flow water like a waterfall. A conventional waterfall shower head is disclosed in any one of CN 201702058 U, CN 202803469 U, and CN 102631996 A. For example, a conventional faucet or a conventional shower head contains an elongated outlet for flowing water like a waterfall. However, the waterfall faucet or the waterfall shower head flows water unevenly. In addition, after the water flows out of the outlet, its middle portion decreases greatly, thus influencing flowing area, speed, and strength.

Another water supply device is disclosed in CN 201836495 U, but its outlet has two wide sides and a narrow central portion, such that water is guided to flow toward the two sides of the outlet so as to form a waterfall water flow with a fixed width. However, two sides of the waterfall water flow are too wide to flow water evenly.

Another waterfall faucet is taught in CN 201836495 U and contains a water chamber having a height gradually decreasing along a flowing direction and a trumpet-shaped portion to guide water to flow toward two sides of a water flow. Nevertheless, a width of the water flow changes constantly.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention is to provide a water supply device which flows water like a waterfall in a long distance.

To obtain the above aspect(s), a water supply device provided by the present invention contains: an internal flow channel, a water chamber communicating with an outlet end of the internal flow channel, such that water flows through the water chamber from the outlet end of the internal flow channel.

The water chamber includes an inlet defined therein and communicating with the internal flow channel, an outlet, a longitudinal height h, a horizontal width w, and a channel length L along a flowing direction; wherein the longitudinal height h has a largest longitudinal height h1 formed in the inlet and has a smallest longitudinal height h2 gradually decreasing to the outlet along the flowing direction.

Two opposite throat portions are formed in the water chamber and keep a distance X away from the inlet, the horizontal width w of the water chamber gradually decreases from a horizontal width w1 of the inlet to the two opposite throat portions so as to form a smallest horizontal width w3, and a lateral width w2 of the water chamber gradually increases from the two opposite throat portions to the outlet; the water chamber is defined by two oppositely horizontal fences and two oppositely side fences, the longitudinal height h of the water chamber is defined by a distance between the two oppositely horizontal fences, the horizontal width w of the water chamber is defined by a distance between the two oppositely side fences; each horizontal fence has a passage defined on a central portion of the horizontal width w and has at least two steps for defining the passage.

Preferably, X/L is within 0.2 to 0.5.

Preferably, w1/w3 is within 1.3 to 1.6.

Preferably, w2/w3 is within 1.3 to 1.6

Preferably, plural steps are formed on each of two sides of the passage of each horizontal fence.

Preferably, each step has a stopping cliff for stopping the water flowing to two sides of the water chamber and has a V-shaped platform formed on a top end thereof and increasingly tilting to each side fence.

Preferably, a spaced width S is defined by two opposite stopping cliffs of any two opposite steps on each horizontal fence, the spaced width S gradually decreases to the two opposite throat portions from the inlet to form a smallest spaced width S2, and the spaced width S gradually increases to the outlet from the two opposite throat portions.

Preferably, a longitudinal height of the passage becomes smallest on a middle portion of the passage and gradually increases along two sides of the passages.

Preferably, the water flows through the outlet of the water chamber from the internal flow channel to produce a flowing speed V, and the flowing speed V has a first partial speed V1 defined by the outlet and the central portion of the horizontal width w, a second partial speed V2 is defined by ⅗ to ⅘ of a total length between two sides of the outlet, and V2/V1 is within 1.01 to 1.03.

Preferably, the water flows in the water chamber smoothly and evenly and flows out of the outlet like the waterfall in a long distance. The water is also pressurized in the water chamber by the two opposite throat portions and is adjusted its flowing speed and direction. Moreover, the at least two steps stops the water flowing to the two sides of the passage overly, thus flowing the water out of the outlet gently and widely.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the assembly of a water supply device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the assembly of the water supply device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the assembly of a part of the water supply device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is another cross-sectional perspective view showing the assembly of a part of the water supply device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of a part of the water supply device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the assembly of a part of the water supply device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a side plan view showing the assembly of a part of the water supply device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is also another cross-sectional perspective view showing the assembly of a part of the water supply device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the assembly of a part of the water supply device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the assembly of a water supply device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of the water supply device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the assembly of a water supply device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the assembly of the water supply device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the assembly of a water supply device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a cross sectional view showing the assembly of the water supply device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a water supply device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is a waterfall faucet and comprises: an internal flow channel 2 formed in an curved outlet pipe 3; a water chamber 4 communicating with an outlet end of the internal flow channel 2, such that water flows out of the water supply device 1 like a waterfall from the outlet end of the internal flow channel 2 via the water chamber 4. In the first embodiment, the water chamber 4 is formed on a distal end of the curved outlet pipe 3 and is one piece formed from the curved outlet pipe 3. However, the water chamber 4 can be an independent component in another embodiment. For example, the water chamber 4 is welded with the distal end of the outlet pipe 3.

An improvement of the water supply device 1 of the present invention is described as following:

the water chamber 4, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 9, including an inlet 10 defined therein and communicating with the internal flow channel 2, an outlet 20, a longitudinal height h, a horizontal width w, and a channel length L along a flowing direction; wherein the longitudinal height h has a largest longitudinal height h1 formed in the inlet 10 and has a smallest longitudinal height h2 gradually decreasing to the outlet 20 along the flowing direction;

two opposite throat portions 30 formed in the water chamber 4 and keeping a distance X away from the inlet 10, wherein

the horizontal width w of the water chamber 4 gradually decreases from a horizontal width w1 of the inlet 10 to the two opposite throat portions 30 so as to form a smallest horizontal width w3, and a lateral width w2 of the water chamber 4 gradually increases from the two opposite throat portions 30 to the outlet 20; the water chamber 4 is defined by two oppositely horizontal fences 41 and two oppositely side fences 42, the longitudinal height h of the water chamber 4 is defined by a distance between the two oppositely horizontal fences 41, the horizontal width w of the water chamber 4 is defined by a distance between the two oppositely side fences 42; each horizontal fence 41 has a passage 43 defined on a central portion of the horizontal width w and has at least two steps 44 for defining the passage 43.

Referring to FIG. 8, in the first embodiment, three steps 44 are formed on each of two sides of the passage 43 of each horizontal fence 41, and the passage 43 is defined by two innermost steps 44 on two sides thereof. Each step 44 has a stopping cliff 441 for stopping the water flowing to two sides of the water chamber 4 and has a V-shaped platform 442 formed on a top end thereof and increasingly tilting to each side fence 42.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a spaced width S is defined by two opposite stopping cliffs 441 of any two opposite steps 44 on each horizontal fence 41, wherein the spaced width S gradually decreases to the two opposite throat portions 30 from the inlet 10 to form a smallest spaced width S2, and the spaced width S gradually increases to the outlet 20 from the two opposite throat portions 30.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, a longitudinal height of the passage 43 becomes smallest on a middle portion of the passage 43 and gradually increases along two sides of the passages 43.

Because the largest longitudinal height hl and the horizontal width w1 of the inlet 10 gradually decrease to the two opposite throat portions 30 simultaneously, the waters is pressurized and sprayed strongly in the water chamber 4 by ways of the two opposite throat portions 30. Also, the longitudinal height h of the two opposite throat portions 30 gradually decreases to the outlet 20, and the smallest horizontal width w3 gradually increases to the outlet 20, so the water flows to the two sides of the water chamber 4 through the two opposite throat portions 30, thus flowing the water out of the outlet 20 like the waterfall.

To pressurize and spray the water strongly by using the two opposite throat portions 30, a sufficient flowing travel between the two opposite throat portions 30 and the inlet 10 is required. To flow the water through the two throat portions 30 like the waterfall, the sufficient flowing travel extending to the two sides of the water chamber 4, i.e., a separated distance between the two opposite throat portions 30 and the outlet 20, is required as well. In an actual test, a distance between the two opposite throat portions 30 and the inlet 10 is defined as X, and a total flowing length of the water chamber 4 is defined as L, such that a ratio of the distance X and the total flowing length L of the water chamber 4 is defined as X/L, and the ratio X/L is within 0.2 to 0.5. In other words, a preferred position of the two opposite throat portions 30 is located along a central portion of the flowing direction and is partial to the inlet 10.

To pressurize and spray the water strongly as the water flows through the two opposite throat portions 30 by gradually decreasing the horizontal width w, the horizontal width w of the outlet 20 gradually decreases from the horizontal width w1 of the inlet 10 to the two opposite throat portions 30 so as to form the smallest horizontal width w3. As the water flowing through the outlet 20 is overly pressurized, it cannot flow to the two sides of the water chamber 4 via the two opposite throat portions 30. But as the water flowing through the outlet 20 is pressurized insufficiently, it also cannot flow to the two sides of the water chamber 4 via the two opposite throat portions 30. In the actual test, a ratio of the horizontal width w1 of the inlet 10 and the smallest horizontal width w3 of the two opposite throat portions 30 is defined as w1/w3, wherein the ratio w1/w3 is within 1.3 to 1.6. Likewise, a ratio of the lateral width w2 of the outlet 20 and the smallest horizontal width w3 of the two opposite throat portions 30 is defined as w2/w3, wherein the ration w2/w3 is within 1.3 to 1.6.

Due to each horizontal fence 41 has the passage 43 defined on the central portion of the horizontal width w, the longitudinal height of the passage 43 located at the middle portion of the passage 43 is smallest, and the longitudinal height of the passage 43 gradually increases to the two sides of the passage 43, the water is guided to flow toward the two sides of the passage 43. To avoid the water flowing toward the two sides of the passages 43 overly, the at least two steps 44 is employed to stop the water flowing to the two sides of the passage 43 overly, thus flowing the water in the passage 43 evenly. For instance, three steps 44 are formed on each of the two sides of the passage 43, such that three stopping cliffs 441 of the three steps 44 on each of the two sides of the passage 43 stop the water flowing to each of the two sides of the water chamber 4. In addition, the V-shaped platform 442 of each step 44 increasingly tilts toward each side fence 42, so the water is kept on the V-shaped platform 442, thereby flowing the water in the water chamber 4 equally.

With reference to FIG. 10, the water flows through the outlet 20 of the water chamber 4 from the internal flow channel 2 to produce a flowing speed V, and the flowing speed V has a first partial speed V1 defined by the outlet 20 and the central portion of the horizontal width w, a second partial speed V2 defined by ⅗ to ⅘ of a total length between two sides of the outlet 20. In the actual test, V2/V1 is within 1.01 to 1.03, such that the second partial speed V2 is larger than V1, i.e., the water is pressurized to flow to two sides of the water chamber 4, thus flowing the water out of the outlet 20 like the waterfall for a long time.

In the first embodiment, the water supply device 1 is a water facet. Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, a water supply device 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention comprises an inverted-L body 5 for defining an internal flow channel 2, and the inverted-L body 5 includes a water chamber 4, an inlet 10, and an outlet 20 which are one piece formed.

As illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, a water supply device 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention comprises a body 6 in which an internal flow channel 2 and a water chamber 4 are formed, wherein the body 6 also includes a water nozzle 7 on which an open conduit 7 a for guiding water to flow out of the outlet 20.

With reference to FIGS. 15 and 16, a water supply device 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention is a shower head mounted on a top wall, wherein the shower head includes a plurality of spray nozzles 8 a for spraying water and includes a water chamber 4 defined on one side thereof, such that when water flows into an internal flow channel 2 of a body 8 of the water supply device 1, it is guided to spray out of the plurality of spray nozzles 8 a and to flow out of the water chamber 4 like a waterfall.

Furthermore, the water supply device 1 is or is not one piece formed on a peripheral wall of a bathtub, and an outlet 20 is defined on the peripheral wall of the bathtub, such that water flows into the bathtub from the outlet 20 directly. Accordingly, the water supply device 1 is wisely applicable for kitchen, faucet in a bathroom, or a shower head.

Preferably, the water flows in the water chamber 4 smoothly and evenly and flows out of the outlet 20 like the waterfall in a long distance. The water is also pressurized in the water chamber 4 by the two opposite throat portions 30 and is adjusted its flowing speed and direction. Moreover, the at least two steps 44 stops the water flowing to the two sides of the passage 43 overly, thus flowing the water out of the outlet 20 gently and widely.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A water supply device comprising an internal flow channel; a water chamber communicating with an outlet end of the internal flow channel, such that water flows through the water chamber from the outlet end of the internal flow channel, wherein the water chamber includes an inlet defined therein and communicating with the internal flow channel, an outlet, a longitudinal height h, a horizontal width w, and a channel length L along a flowing direction; wherein the longitudinal height h has a largest longitudinal height hl formed in the inlet and has a smallest longitudinal height h2 gradually decreasing to the outlet along the flowing direction; two opposite throat portions are formed in the water chamber and keep a distance X away from the inlet, the horizontal width w of the water chamber gradually decreases from a horizontal width w1 of the inlet to the two opposite throat portions so as to form a smallest horizontal width w3, and a lateral width w2 of the water chamber gradually increases from the two opposite throat portions to the outlet; the water chamber is defined by two oppositely horizontal fences and two oppositely side fences, the longitudinal height h of the water chamber is defined by a distance between the two oppositely horizontal fences, the horizontal width w of the water chamber is defined by a distance between the two oppositely side fences; each horizontal fence has a passage defined on a central portion of the horizontal width w and has at least two steps for defining the passage.
 2. The water supply device as claimed in claim 1, wherein X/L is within 0.2 to 0.5.
 3. The water supply device as claimed in claim 1, wherein w1/w3 is within 1.3 to 1.6.
 4. The water supply device as claimed in claim 1, wherein w2/w3 is within 1.3 to 1.6.
 5. The water supply device as claimed in claim 1, wherein plural steps are formed on each of two sides of the passage of each horizontal fence.
 6. The water supply device as claimed in claim 5, wherein each step has a stopping cliff for stopping the water flowing to two sides of the water chamber and has a V-shaped platform formed on a top end thereof and increasingly tilting to each side fence.
 7. The water supply device as claimed in claim 6, wherein a spaced width S is defined by two opposite stopping cliffs of any two opposite steps on each horizontal fence, the spaced width S gradually decreases to the two opposite throat portions from the inlet to form a smallest spaced width S2, and the spaced width S gradually increases to the outlet from the two opposite throat portions.
 8. The water supply device as claimed in claim 6, wherein a longitudinal height of the passage becomes smallest on a middle portion of the passage and gradually increases along two sides of the passages.
 9. The water supply device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the water flows through the outlet of the water chamber from the internal flow channel to produce a flowing speed V, and the flowing speed V has a first partial speed V1 defined by the outlet and the central portion of the horizontal width w, a second partial speed V2 is defined by ⅗ to ⅘ of a total length between two sides of the outlet, and V2/V1 is within 1.01 to 1.03.
 10. The water supply device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a water supply device is a faucet or a shower head. 